The Ultimate End of

Man

 The END of Man

WHAT IS THE PURPOSE OF HUMAN
LIFE?
WHERE ARE WE GOING?
WHAT IS OUR DESTINY & WHAT IS
THE WAY TO ATTAIN IT?

 ENDS OF HUMAN ACTS

Man does not act aimlessly.

He wants to achieve something.
END is the purpose or goal of an act.
END OF AN ACT is the natural
termination of an activity.
Example: The end of eating = nourishment

 END OF THE DOER the personal

purpose intended by the person performing

the act. The MOTIVE. The reason why the
person performs an act.

He eats to satisfy his hunger.

I study in order to .

 KINDS OF END

1. PROXIMATE
2. INTERMEDIATE
3. ULTIMATE
4. ABSOLUTE LAST END (Eternal
Happiness)
Every agent acts towards an ultimate end.
The ultimate end in life is: HAPPINESS.

 END AS SOMETHING GOOD

Actions are tendencies towards something good.
KINDS OF GOOD:
1. REAL GOOD truly good in itself
2. APPARENT GOOD Evil viewed as good. In
itself, is real evil but appears under the reality of
good (theft, revenge, suicide) Every moral evil is
an apparent good.

3. Conditional Good which is good under certain

aspect
4. Simple Good w/c is something perfect according
to its own nature.
5. Imperfect Good satisfies mans inferior appetite &
superior powers.
6. Perfect Good satisfy human nature completely &
perfectly to the highest degree & leaves nothing to
be desired.

 What is the Summum Bonum The Greatest

Good?

Every agent acts towards an ultimate

end.
The ultimate end in life is:
HAPPINESS.
For Aristotle, the greatest good is
happiness.

 Ethics is the science of correct doing.

THE PURPOSE OF ETHICS is to be

VIRTUOUS.- the good use of freedom
Christian Ethics is the science of correct
Christian doing.
The goal of ethics is human HAPPINESS
through right living.

 HAPPINESS
As a psychological state, it is the feeling of
contentment arising from the possession of
a good. I feel happy.
As a state of being, it is the perfection
arising from the possession of good.
I am happy.

SOME ERRORS CONCERNING

HAPPINESS
Happiness is not found in wealth.
It is not found in health.
It is not found in honor, prestige, &
power.
IMPERFECT HAPPINESS

If you lose wealth, you lose nothing.

If you lose health, you lose something.
If you lose character, you lose
everything.

 NATURAL HAPPINESS
& SUPERNATURAL HAPPINESS

 NATURAL HAPPINESS

Consists in the perfection that can be

attained by man through the
employment of his natural powers.
Attainment of truth & virtue.

 SUPERNATURAL HAPPINESS

Attainable through natural powers of

man as informed & aided by Gods
grace.
GOD is the greatest, infinite good. He
is the summum bonum.

 The goal of Christian Ethics / Moral

Theology is eternal salvation through a
life in Christ.
Teaches the art of right living.
How all & each one of us can be
happy.
The Christian journey towards
happiness.

BEING With GOD

PROXIMATE GOAL
IMMEDIATE GOAL

ONGOING CONVERSION
CHRISTIAN MATURITY

ULTIMATE GOAL

THE ULTIMATE GOAL of

Christian Ethics
Is the beatific vision of God in
heaven in company of our Lady
and the saints and our relatives
and friends all of Gods friends.